Amicus Partners

First Person Account: Puneeth Ganapathy on the LL.M. from University College London

April 27, 2019
Puneeth Ganapathy

First Person Accounts (FPA’s) are meant to provide a first-hand account of law graduates who have pursued, or are pursuing, a post-graduate course (LL.M. or otherwise) from different universities across the world.

In this edition, Puneeth Ganapathy talks about his LL.M. experience at University College London (Class of ’17). A graduate of NUJS (Class of ’14), Puneeth worked at Lakshmikumaran & Sridharan for nearly three years before embarking on his post-graduate education. An international arbitration practitioner, Puneeth shares the reasons for working before the LL.M., how he went about choosing his ideal law programme, and a lot more.

Did you ever consider doing an LLM right after your undergrad? Or was the plan to always work a few years before the master’s?

Not one bit. For me, after undergrad was the steepest part of the learning curve, it was the time to get out in the real world, apply myself, seek reaffirmation as a budding lawyer and assimilate from legal and courtroom environment.

The idea of studying again (and taking examinations) did not seriously cross my mind for almost two years after starting practice.

How did you go about university selection? Any other schools that you applied to?

At NUJS, academics wasn’t really top priority for me personally (unless of course I had the odd brilliant professor like Saurabh Bhattacharjee who’s subject everyone really wanted to do well in). I barely just managed a 4 CGPA (which in UK equivalency is at best an upper Second Class).

I didn’t really think overdosing on mooting would be good enough to make up for the non-first class on CV and had made up my mind that the hallowed halls of Harvard or Oxford were way out of my league.

And this really didn’t bother me – my expectations from the LL.M. were simple. I’d been doing fairly well at practice and wanted to take a break. An LL.M, with the prospect of tremendous cultural and educational exposure would provide a fantastic excuse for a break (which did eventually turn out to guide a significant career alteration).

“I’d been doing fairly well at practice and wanted to take a break. An LL.M, with the prospect of tremendous cultural and educational exposure would provide a fantastic excuse for a break (which did eventually turn out to guide a significant career alteration).”

So I largely had three factors in mind picking schools:
- Costs – Clearly the US Schools would cost way more. And if I was not going to go to the top 2/3 colleges (which I was clearly not going to be applying for with my grades), there was no point. Even a scholarship usually wouldn’t take care of all living expenses, which alone would cost a bomb.
  The US does have the advantage of a year extra after the LLM where you get to work, intern, etc. But at the time I was making this decision, it didn’t matter cause I was always going to come back to my former practice after the LL.M. sabbatical. So the US was out of question.The UK/European law schools have great faculties of equal world stature and have a fascinating style of discourse in beautiful landscapes, and are much cheaper than a course in the US.
- Intake – I researched and narrowed down universities that (from their websites and expected candidate requirements) appeared to equal weight to all aspects of a CV, and weren’t necessarily fixated with first class academic grades as a prerequisite.
- The program – The most crucial expectations for me were that the university needed to: (a) have good professors distinguished in fields which interest me, (b) offer a general LLM program which could be tailor-made to my areas of interest (c) have sound credentials in academic rankings and profiles and (d) be in a city with things to do apart from academics.
Did you seek financial aid of any kind?

No.

Any advice on how one should go about writing the Statement of Purpose?
- Why you?
  Make it as personal as possible. That to my mind is the only way to appear to bring something unique to the table. As a general theme, it’s always a great idea to stress on how law ended up being your profession of choice and how you believe your circumstances before, during and after law school shaped that path.
- Why that University?
  It doesn’t really have to be a list of achievements which your CV is better tailored to show. It should instead reflect larger goals you have for yourself, something like what you imagine your CV to be in 10-20 years – and justify how the course you’re applying for will help you move in that direction. This is where researching on the subjects and faculty of the universities becomes crucial.
What were some of the biggest learnings during the LLM program at UCL?

Academically – It’s probably the first time I actually did quite well academically. This was mostly because of some excellent faculty and the passion with which they think and lecture. I realized that in India, we have geared our setup in such a way (also given the tremendous competition) that a high % of marks or grade in a subject is the education system’s goal for a great student. Abroad, a high% or grade is only the means to test the level of comprehension and complexity of thought. As a result I felt that my learning at UCL was more development oriented, i.e. learning for the sake of learning, rather than the outcome oriented learning environment back home.

“Abroad, a high% or grade is only the means to test the level of comprehension and complexity of thought. As a result I felt that my learning at UCL was more development oriented, i.e. learning for the sake of learning, rather than the outcome oriented learning environment back home.”

Personally – Tremendous learning also stems from cross cultural exposure and interaction, making friends from distant parts of the world. UCL has a very diverse and decently large intake for you to definitely find people cut of the same cloth/ having similar aspirations as you.

I got involved in mooting for a bit again, coaching a team of friends from the classroom. The team had German, French, South Korean, Jamaican, Mexican and Indian nationalities and we had some good times prepping for and travelling to Frankfurt for the moot. Realising that people across the globe usually have a similar way of thinking and expressing a thought/mood gives you great confidence in your ability to present yourself and really, opens your horizons to appreciate all sorts of unique cultural settings others come from.

Professionally – This was also where I realised that litigation and international arbitration were the two paths forward for me. I was doing tax litigation at Lakshmikumaran & Sridharan before the LL.M., and while that certainly meant going to court (which I enjoyed), I went through the initial-career itch that made me question whether sweating and sleeping in a black gown waiting for matters to take their turn – was something I’d be happy with for the rest of a career.

At UCL – and I am sure this is true of many universities, apart from the specific subjects, the level of discourse in the ‘right’ professor’s classroom is so high – that if you’re genuinely nerdy/romantic about the law, it is definitely going to giving you a clearer perspective of where you see yourself in the profession. It helped me make peace with the idea that initial years of servitude in the litigation space are well worth the scope to develop and create legal propositions and defences for a living.

“The level of discourse in the ‘right’ professor’s classroom is so high – that if you’re genuinely nerdy/romantic about the law, it is definitely going to giving you a clearer perspective of where you see yourself in the profession.”

When you graduated, what was your reading of the UK legal market when it came to hiring international LLM graduates?

I frankly have no basis to opine one way or the other. I personally focus on disputes and international arbitration, and in that sphere of things, the UK legal market has few great apprenticeship/internship/consulting opportunities. These are meant to (a) give you the exposure of working with firms/practices that have some of the most cutting edge work and renowned individuals in the international sphere and (b) provide a cost effective resource base for the firms.

An LL.M. in itself is not going to get you hired as an international arbitration lawyer, unless you’re in the right place at the right time and it is a distinction level degree/from one of the top 5 universities and/or is accompanied by an excellent prior profession professional record in India/a home jurisdiction. The opportunities, compared to the number of graduates across the world seeking international arbitration exposure, are too few and one must be prepared for that scenario.

“The opportunities, compared to the number of graduates across the world seeking international arbitration exposure, are too few and one must be prepared for that scenario.”

Given that you have a cross-national practice, any advice for Indian law grads who are looking to move jurisdictions?

I’m officially licensed to practice only in India (for now). But yes, my international arbitration work has typically involved Malaysian, Indian and Hong Kong seated arbitrations.

In that vein, most international arbitrations by definition will be cross-national.

For the Indian law grad looking to move jurisdictions, who has a definite interest in disputes and advocacy, exploring international arbitration as an area is possibly the most obvious route to cross-national exposure and work. For transactional lawyers, I do know people who have worked initially in Top Tier firms in India, obtained an LL.M. in that area and secured a job in the same/similar practice area such as funds, banking and investments – with firms abroad. This is cross-national in the sense that your jurisdictional playground is much larger.

Lastly, any advice for Indian law graduates looking to study abroad?

None. Except that adding a degree to your CV shouldn’t be the principal motivation behind the LL.M. at all. It can do a whole lot to your career or it may do nothing for you – and either is fine, as long as you think it through and set broad expectations before you go, however fluid they might be.

“The LL.M. can do a whole lot to your career or it may do nothing for you – and either is fine, as long as you think it through and set broad expectations before you go, however fluid they might be.”
First Person Accounts: Prajwal Gyawali on the EMLE, “100 rejections project” & more

April 26, 2019

First Person Accounts (FPA’s) are meant to provide a first-hand account of law graduates who have pursued, or are pursuing, a post-graduate course (LL.M. or otherwise) from different universities across the world.

Prajwal Gyawali

In this edition, I speak with Prajwal Gyawali who graduated in law from NALSAR University (Class of ’13). Currently a Senior Legal Office at the Ministry of Finance in Uganda (Oxford Policy Fellow), Prajwal enrolled for the European Master in Law & Economics (EMLE) programme (Class of ’18). With disarming amounts of forthrightness, Prajwal discusses the reason behind the programme, finding success in a “100 rejections”, and a lot more.

(Edited excerpts)

Were you considering an LLM while at NALSAR? Or was this only something you decided to do after working for a few years?

Yes. An LLM (or a masters in general) was at the back of my mind. In fact, to be quite honest, my original plan was to directly join a master’s program after NALSAR or perhaps take a break for a year and work back home in Kathmandu before applying.

Since recruitments were going on in NALSAR, and all of my friends were sitting for it, I decided to give it a shot. To my surprise, I got recruited by ICICI Bank. I was very bemused at that point, but it is only a few years later that it kind of made sense.

Why the EMLE? And were there any other courses that you considered/applied to?

After working in ICICI Bank for 4 years, I started to get interested in banking and finance. Although I was working in the field of corporate finance, I got some exposure in the international market which is when I got curious to learn more about the global economy.

After working for four years as a corporate lawyer, I didn’t see myself being much of a transaction lawyer as I was always interested in the field of development and policy. I thought that the purpose of doing an LLM for me should be to broaden my perspective, rather than specializing in a subject of law. That is the reason why the European Masters in Law and Economics (EMLE) seemed fascinating to me.

The course had lawyers, economists as well as students from other backgrounds in the classroom. I thought it would definitely be interesting to study in such an interdisciplinary classroom.

“I thought that the purpose of doing an LLM for me should be to broaden my perspective, rather than specializing in a subject of law. That is the reason why the European Masters in Law and Economics (EMLE) seemed fascinating to me.”

Furthermore, EMLE required you to study in a different university every trimester. That meant that you got to travel a lot, meet new friends and learn more by traveling. In my case, I was allotted Germany, Netherlands and Israel. What better way to travel around the world and get a master’s degree at the end of it?

“In my case, I was allotted Germany, Netherlands and Israel. What better way to travel around the world and get a master’s degree at the end of it?”

Did you apply for any sort of financial aid?

Unfortunately, I didn’t receive any financial aid although I did apply for aid from Erasmus. But thankfully, compared to other master’s program, EMLE (or generally studying in Europe) is quite cheap.

Even though I didn’t get any scholarship, my whole master’s program cost me below fifteen lakhs. This included my application fees, TOEFL, tuition fee, accommodation, flights, visa, all the travel that I did, personal expenses etc. Thankfully I could manage the majority of my cost from my savings along with a small loan that I took from my family.

A statement of purpose or letter of motivation can be challenging to write – any advice on how to go about this part of the application process?

Out of all the colleges I had applied to, only EMLE accepted me. So the only tip I have is to try until you succeed. But I did share a lot of my ideas with my friends before applying. Brainstorming really helps.

What were your expectations from the EMLE program, and were they met? What were some of the highlights of the course?

I was in contact two of my seniors from NALSAR who did EMLE prior to me. They clearly told me that if I was doing EMLE with the expectation that my employability is going to increase in Europe, I would be thoroughly disappointed. I was aware that there was no recruitment which EMLE management initiated so I actually joined EMLE with no professional expectations.

“I was aware that there was no recruitment which EMLE management initiated so I actually joined EMLE with no professional expectations.”

The program required a student to study in 3 countries within 9 months. On top of that there were 12 exams which we had to give and a thesis to submit by the end of the program. All that while we had to figure out travel, visa, accommodation other issues all on our own. The only expectation I had from the program was that I would make a lot of friends and get to travel. I was certain that by the end of EMLE, I would be broke and would have to go back to India or Nepal to work to be able to repay the loan I took from my family.

The EMLE is interesting by itself, but your next step was even more so. How did you land up as an Oxford Policy Fellow? And what is the kind of work you are doing now?

Towards the end of EMLE, my friend from Brazil and I were totally clueless about what to do and where our lives were heading. We started a “100 rejections project” where we would apply to places and jobs without having much expectations. This was a great experiment since both of us started to apply for jobs which we assumed were out of our league. To our surprise, both of us ended up getting jobs which surpassed our expectation.

“We started a “100 rejections project” where we would apply to places and jobs without having much expectations. This was a great experiment since both of us started to apply for jobs which we assumed were out of our league. To our surprise, both of us ended up getting jobs which surpassed our expectation.”

Today I work as a Senior Legal Officer (Oxford Policy Fellow) at the Ministry of Finance in Uganda. I assist the department of Development Assistance and Regional Cooperation in negotiating loans that the Government takes from various multilateral and bilateral development partners – Islamic Development Bank, EU, China, India etc. The foundations of Banking and Finance which I learnt in ICICI Bank, with a masters in law and economics (where my thesis was related to sovereign debt and reputational risk) definitely helped me secure this fellowship.

Given that you are now firmly in the field of policy – how do you view this field when it comes to employing law graduates?

I wouldn’t say I am firmly in the field of policy as it has been less than a year that I have been working as an Oxford Policy Fellow. I am slowly realizing how the policy sector works and during my time here, I have understood that development partners and governments are slowly realizing the importance of lawyers in the field of policy making. I am hopeful that more doors for lawyers will open up in the future.

Final question – would you recommend a foreign master’s course to Indian law graduates? Why?

Of course! Not just to Indian or Nepali students, but students from across the region. I think there is some sort of a peer pressure in law schools that you need to do a master’s program from a reputed institution or else you are looked down upon. Well of course it would be great to get a masters from one of the big universities. But we don’t keep in mind the financial aspect of it. And we almost never speak about it with our friends or alumni.

“I think there is some sort of a peer pressure in law schools that you need to do a master’s program from a reputed institution or else you are looked down upon.”

Don’t stop yourself from applying to colleges which your friends or teachers have not heard of. Don’t worry about the brand or reputation of the master’s course. A foreign master’s definitely helps you broaden your perspective and helps you grow as an individual. I am someone who values personal development as much as the professional, and when we apply for a master’s, we only talk about the professional aspect of it. I hope students see the value a foreign master’s adds in the personal front.

“I am someone who values personal development as much as the professional, and when we apply for a master’s, we only talk about the professional aspect of it. I hope students see the value a foreign master’s adds in the personal front.”
Amicus Recap: Some of the most useful LL.M. advice in the last 100 posts

April 25, 2019

The Amicus blog began life sometime in August last year, starting off with some (very) rudimentary advice on how to go about the LL.M. application process. Since then, the blog has carried some interesting interviews and posts, with the most popular being the First-Person Account (FPA’s) series.

With this being the blog post number one hundred and one, I thought I would mark the occasion by a summary of sorts.

And why not start with the FPA’s. As they has been (imaginatively) titled, FPAs are meant to give a first-hand account of the master’s (law or otherwise) experience abroad from the point of view of the Indian Law Graduate (ILG).

I believe an educational choice, like most major decisions, ought to be a highly personalized one. And what I like most about the FPAs is that they provide multiple viewpoints. This allows the ILG to pick and choose what is most relevant for her.

Also, it allows Amicus Partners to help a wider audience of ILG’s and law students, apart from those who take up our personalized counselling services. At the same time, with the increase in content, finding just what you are looking for can become a tad difficult.

Which is why I have made a list of what I consider to be some of the most useful advice published on the Amicus blog thus far.

1. On when to go for a master’s

Balu Gopalkrishna Nair (Melbourne Law School, LLM ’19)

Balu Gopalakrishnan Nair

“The ideal time to pursue a foreign master’s would be when you have a rough idea of what area you want to explore and have some sort of financial safety net – be it in the form of a scholarship or savings. It should be a time when you can embark upon an unhindered intellectual pursuit without having to worry too much about the finances.”

You can read the full interview here.

2. On why to enrol for a master’s

Manasi Chatpalliwar (National University of Singapore, LLM ’18)

Manasi Chatpalliwar

“I think candidates need to be more worried about how they look at their LLM and whether they are honestly able to place a value on their effort in completing the same. If LLMs are being pursued for some sort of external validation or in the hopes of negotiating a higher salary with a law firm etc. then that’s just silly.”

You can read the full interview here.

Aishwarya Amar (Oxford University, BCL ’19)

Aishwarya Amar

“My decision to pursue a master’s degree right after my undergraduate study was purely motivated by my passion for the subjects of International environment and human rights laws…I’ve been driven by the notion that these passions were never meant to just convert into jobs or employment, but rather into ideas and inputs that will help me develop as a practitioner and contribute to our society in some way.”

Read the full interview here.

3. On choosing where to go

Kanad Bagchi (Europa Institut, LLM ’14, Oxford University, MSc in Law & Finance ’16)

Kanad Bagchi

“I knew I loved a particular subject – constitutional law – so I started looking at universities that offered such courses, had good faculty and a focus on research. The problem was that I needed funding. So, the next step was to bring that list down to universities where the probability of funding would be higher.”

Read the full interview here.

Aakanksha Chauhan (Osgoode Hall at York University, LLM ’19)

Aakanksha Chauhan

“If you just want to specialize and head back to India, I would suggest looking at schools like the UK or the USA or even Germany! But if you want to work abroad then Canada is definitely the place to go.”

Read the full interview here.

Yashaswini Mittal (Georgetown University, LLM ’18)

Yashaswini Mittal

“When I had applied for an LLM initially, I was running behind big names, instead of figuring out the college and the course that was best for me, given my capabilities and my funding situation. The second time around, I was more careful and made the best choice for myself! I would recommend the same to everyone. In India, we are always fascinated by big names, which is understandable.”

Read the full interview here.

Miki P. Hamstra (Robert H. McKinnney School of Law)

Miki P. Hamstra

“Really think about how you prefer to learn, not just what that [degree] is going to say at the end of the year. [Maybe] you don’t prefer to learn in a large environment and you prefer practical experiences. You prefer knowing your professors on a first-name basis, and knowing your supervisors, having a small cohort.”

Read the full interview here

4. On writing the Statement of Purpose

Amber Featherstone (Wake Forest University School of Law)

Amber Featherstone

“We want to know all of the things they have done that make them an excellent applicant to our school. If they don’t tell us about them, we will never know. So, don’t be shy. Tell us why you’re the perfect student for our program.”

Read the full interview here

Aradhya Sethia (Yale Law School, LLM ’18)

Aradhya Sethia

“It took me a lot of research to get to a point where I could draft a convincing research agenda. They want you to ask concise, relevant, and thought-provoking questions. Focus on that one big question you are interested in.

Your primary goal shouldn’t be to prove that you have researched a lot, but to ask the right question, show why that question matters, and how Yale could help you answer that question.”

Read the full interview here.

Nehaa Chaudhari (Harvard Law Schoool, LLM ’17)

Nehaa Chaudhari

“When we interacted with the admissions staff of the Graduate Program while at HLS, we learnt that the admissions committee looked to the personal statement to get a sense of the applicant as a person, and what they brought to the table, as well as to see how well (or poorly) they could write. Good writing does not mean complicated writing, or the use of flowery language — quite the contrary in fact. Personal statements should be clearly written, and easy to read.”

Read the full interview here

5. On the Letters of Recommendation

Kanad Bagchi (Europa Institut, LLM ’14, Oxford University, MSc in Law & Finance ’16)

“When you are applying for a foreign LLM, there is no interview process. The two ways in which a university can know you is through the SoP and through the LoR. Both of them need to be incisive about you as a person.

Therefore, it does not matter ‘whom’ or how ‘big’ a professor or practitioner you take your LoR from, but what that person essentially writes in the LoR. How much does it really depict your strengths and your weakness and how minutely does it lay open your potential for research etc. So the suggestion is go after a person who knows you better and who can comment on your personality from close quarters.”

Read the full interview here

7. Post the LLM, for those interested in doctorate degrees

Amal Sethi (University of Pennsylvania, LLM and SJD [on going])

Amal Sethi

“You have at best 6 months during your LLM to convince prospective faculty members to take you under their wings (Note – very rarely will you get into a doctoral program in an American Law School without having done an LLM in the same law school. At least, not a law school of the same rank).

This can only be achieved if you start the process of ‘thinking about applying for a doctorate’ months (in some cases years) before joining the LLM program. You cannot (and should not) start the process of ‘thinking about applying for a doctorate’ after starting the LLM or worse in the second semester of the LLM program (you are very likely to not succeed in such a case).:

Read the full interview here

8. And finally, on the “other” benefits of a foreign LLM

Chithra P George (NUS-MIDS double degree programme)

Chithra Powathikunnil George

“Pursuing LL.M. abroad reforms and refines your personality in multiple ways. It gives you access to the international landscape, facilitates in building contacts, widens your exposure, gives you the opportunity to engage in discussions with world-renowned personalities, sharpens your analytical thinking and above all makes you a global citizen.

Read the full interview here.
INBA’s LLM Fair on April 25 (Delhi) and April 27 (Bangalore)

April 24, 2019
The Indian National Bar Association will be conducting their annual LLM fair this month across the cities of Bangalore and New Delhi.

The fair will see participation from a number of law schools including the likes of:
- Monash University
- Koc University
- University of British Columbia
- UC Davis School of Law
The events will also see panel discussions on topics related to legal education.

More information can be found on the INBA website.
First Person Accounts: Mrityunjay Kumar on a specialised LL.M. from Melbourne Law School

April 24, 2019

First Person Accounts (FPA’s) are meant to provide a first-hand account of law graduates who have pursued, or are pursuing, a post-graduate course (LL.M. or otherwise) from different universities across the world.

In this FPA, I get Mritunjay Kumar to talk about his reasons for enrolling in a specalised LL.M. at Melbourne Law School which he completed in 2017. Graduating in law from ICFAI University in Dehradun (Class of ’09), Mrityunjay is currently a Special Counsel at Budidjaja International Lawyers in Jakarta.

(Edited excerpts)

After seven years of working, what made you decide to enrol for an LLM?

People from India and other Asian countries have a different perspective, when compared to western countries, about the time line for education (higher studies) or enrolling again into a full-time course after having substantial amount of experience in the field.

Coming to the question, having worked for seven years, I realized that it is the right time for me to have a higher education. The decision was a combined effect of many factors.

Indeed, higher education was always a plan, but the circumstances were not supportive. So, I kept preparing and waiting for the circumstances to align in my favour. To this end, I would say that I did not give up on my goals and stayed focused waiting for opportunity to strike.

How did you go about selecting law schools, and what got you to narrow down Melbourne Law School?

In my opinion, selecting a law school depends upon three factors. First, the course you wish to pursue. Second, the structure of the course and the third factor is the cost associated with the course. I was determined to have a specialized course in the field of energy and resources law.

“Selecting a law school depends upon three factors. First, the course you wish to pursue. Second, the structure of the course and the third factor is the cost associated with the course.”

I looked for universities offering the course and found that the University of Melbourne was more competitive as to the criteria mentioned above.

Did you apply for financial aid of any kind?

No. As I mentioned earlier, I was waiting for the circumstances to align; and when it did all of the scholarship programs were closed. I had an option to get the course deferred and wait for the scholarship programs to open again but decided not to waste my time. I got my finances secured through an education loan, a special thanks to Axis Bank and my family for supporting me.

How was the LLM experience?

First, my LLM experience at the University of Melbourne was extraordinarily good. I learned many things, which ultimately added towards improving my personality as a professional and person as well. In a nut shell, I would say that before experiencing the study at the University of Melbourne, I was a frog in a well.

Turning to the second part of the question, my favorite part, I will answer the question in the end of this part. To start with, I do not understand why anyone even mentions the word “become/becoming student again”. From my perspective one is always a student for there is no end to learning. One always keeps learning either through formal/informal platforms or through professional platform.

“From my perspective one is always a student for there is no end to learning. One always keeps learning either through formal or informal platforms or through professional platform.”

Not understanding or ignoring this fact of ongoing learning process is nothing but result of a self-imposed delusion. People think that as soon as you enter a profession you lose your “studenthood”, like virginity; and you will not and cannot get it back. Another angle to this delusion is superiority complex. Having a few years of experience, specially which includes few highly sensitive and impactful matters, we start generating superiority complex, especially people from Asian countries. Why did I mention here “especially people from Asian countries”? This question leads to the example I was waiting to share.

My first foreign country visit was to Australia for the LL.M. program. However, during my session at the University I met with people from all over the globe and from different background and age group. In two of my subjects, except 2-3 students including me rest were between age of 45-62. One of them, a director of projects, had more experience than the professor who was teaching the subject. He had worked on almost all of the project, globally, mentioned during the class as an important case study either in some or other capacity. Nevertheless, he always behaved like just another student.

“One of them, a director of projects, had more experience than the professor who was teaching the subject. He had worked on almost all of the project, globally, mentioned during the class as an important case study either in some or other capacity. Nevertheless, he always behaved like just another student.”

To conclude, the answer is ‘no’ I did not find difficult to become a “student” even after seven years of working professional. I always consider myself as a student.

After your LLM, you joined the Asian International Arbitration Centre – was this something that MLS facilitated, or did you have to find this position on your own?

Though the University facilitates internships, which has to be chosen in place of one of your modules, joining Asian International Arbitration Centre (AIAC) was my own initiative suggested by one my classmates.

What prompted the move to Budidjaja International Lawyers? And could you share a few lines on the kind of work your current position entails?

In energy and resources sector, dispute resolution is my interest so I joined AIAC to have an experience of the other side of the dispute resolution process. However, my active interest is to become a dispute resolution lawyer. I was looking for opportunities, and I met the managing partner of Budidjaja International Lawyers (BIL) at one of the conferences at AIAC. We talked about dispute resolution process and opportunities in Indonesia. Considering my interest, it seemed promising to me and I expressed my interest and finally joined the firm.

Here at BIL, I am responsible for handling dispute resolution, particularly international arbitration and advising national and international clients on transnational litigation and dispute resolution strategies along with representing them before international arbitral institutions, if required.

What is your opinion on the recruitment prospects of Indian law graduates who are looking to work outside the country?

Prospects are good for fresh graduates through training contract with leading law firms. However, it depends upon the jurisdiction where one got offer from. Some jurisdictions have strict visa requirements and it’s completely their discretion. Even if one got an offer and all the paper work is in place, there is a possibility of not getting the work visa due to national policy for job security to the locals, for example the UK.

“Some jurisdictions have strict visa requirements and it is completely their discretion. Even if one got an offer and all the paper work is in place, there is a possibility of not getting the work visa due to national policy”

On the other hand, it is quite challenging for experienced lawyers to secure an opportunity with international law firms unless one has extraordinary professional background with some international experience.

In this line, I would suggest to look for the jurisdiction which has lenient visa requirement. Also, one should target mid-to-high level local law firms with international exposure. It is easier to enter the international market through this way and once you entered you can easily chalk out the path ahead.

Please note that opinion rendered under this paragraph is in accordance with my personal experience limited to my exposure till date. Someone may find it contradictory to their own personal experience.

Lastly, any advice for Indian law graduates who are looking to do a master’s?

My answer to this question is of two-fold and relates to the purpose of doing Master’s. The purpose may be either to enter academia or to enter the practice including both professional and corporate. As to the first purpose, Master degree is a prerequisite for having doctoral degree which allows one to enter academia easily. Again, this has two options – joining after Master’s or joining after doctoral degree.

I am, for the sake brevity, not going to explain these all details, but anyone interested to know more can reach me out. The point, here, is if one wants to pursue Master’s to enter academia then I would recommend them to chalk out the interest first and then probable universities from where both Master’s and doctoral degree can be secured. Doing both the degrees from the same university enhances the chances of getting employed in the university.

To the second part, in my opinion, a Master’s degree does not make any big difference to practical knowledge base unless the course is specialized one. Besides, even if one is opting for a specialized course it is suggested to pursue the course after having 2-3 years of work experience. Otherwise the degree just becomes a colourful addition to one’s profile.

“Even if one is opting for a specialized course it is suggested to pursue the course after having 2-3 years of work experience. Otherwise the degree just becomes a colourful addition to one’s profile.”

In other words, pursuing Master’s is a platform to widen your network, sound your presence and eventually to get a pass to enter higher professional class. It is just like having a membership of very fancy club where the elites hang around.

Therefore, one’s focus should be networking and spending more time on extracurricular activity, but please do not lose focus from passing the course at the end.